How to Remove Hair Dye from Granite Countertops

Heather asked: How do I remove hair dye from a granite countertop in the bathroom? My daughter colored her hair and stained the granite with hair dye. I have tried regular household cleaner and glass cleaner but nothing has removed the stain.

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When it comes to successfully removing hair dye, quick action is the key. The longer the dye sits on the surface, the more difficult, and unlikely, it is to remove it completely. When removing stains from granite, a poultice is used to pull the stain out of the stone. Here is how it works.

Ensure you have the appropriate strength of hydrogen peroxide. The kind sold in pharmacies is only 3% and is not strong enough to remove the stain. Look for the higher concentrations at beauty supply stores or online.

Hydrogen peroxide can be dangerous when used in high concentrations. Wear protective gloves and eyewear to avoid any potential dangers.

Mix the hydrogen peroxide and talc powder together to form a thick paste. It should be the consistency of peanut butter.

Spread the mixture over the stained area. You want the layer to be about a half inch thick and extend beyond the stain about a half inch all the way around.

Cover the area with plastic wrap.

Tape down the edges to keep the poultice from drying out.

Allow the poultice to sit on the stain for 48 hours.

Remove the plastic covering, but do not remove the poultice. Allow it stay in place until it is completely dried. This is an important step and should not be skipped.

Once dry, use a plastic scraper to carefully remove the hardened paste from the surface.

If the stain remains, repeat the above steps. It may take several applications to remove a dark or old stain.

Once the stain is removed, clean the area with a quality stone cleaner.

Follow with a polish to restore the shine to any areas that have become dulled throughout the process.

Constant exposure to hydrogen peroxide can cause the surface to become dull. This is unavoidable if you want to remove the stain. To brighten up the area, follow the cleaning with a quality stone polish.

It is not unusual for this stain removal process to take up to a week to completely remove the stains after several applications. It may take time, but the stain will come out with repeated applications.

If you are concerned about removing the stain yourself, consult a professional who is experienced with granite stain removal.

This stain removal technique can be used for other dye and food coloring stains as well.